


If you had a chance to change your fate

by MutatedMedicine



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Blood, Death Himself is a Character, Fairy Tale Style, Fate & Destiny, Gambling, Humanity, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied Evil! L, Implied Relationships, Kinda a mixed AU, Mortality, My First Work in This Fandom, Open to Interpretation, References to Canon, References to Drugs, Reincarnation, The story is better than the summary, This all makes sense in the end, Timelines, best friends kinda not really, canon and noncanon elements, it's complicated - Freeform, mentions of Mello and Near, this is so figurative, trust me - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MutatedMedicine/pseuds/MutatedMedicine
Summary: Death never knocked, he always walked in.L is working on the Kira case when an old friend walks into his hotel suite.
Kudos: 1





	If you had a chance to change your fate

**Author's Note:**

> This all came to me at 2am and it shows. This entire story is open to interpretation, have fun with it!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

If fate was a fairytale, destiny was personally written by The Brothers Grimm. L Lawliet had heard and read hundreds of those stories as a young child. They were boring. They were mind numbing. They weren't real. Murder however, was real.

Murder mysteries and who dunnits were real. They were tragic realities and retellings of the poor souls of London. It was commonplace to hear of a brutal murder or rape at breakfest. L hated it, but those events were so common they had no meaning. Scotland Yard and Sherlock Holmes were his childhood heros, saving people and helping the world. L knew that's what he wanted to be, so he did. His favorite thing as a child was to solve these murder cases. God only knew London was crawling with them.

Anything remotely related to crime was L's favorite thing. It was real. It was sick. It was in your face. It meant something. Calling cards, letters, weapons, drugs, finger prints, blood...they all told a disgusting story that he had to write for the public. This was Sleeping Beauty being awoken from true love's first kiss for the public, and it was the prince falling face first into a bush full of thorns for L.

It was obvious to everyone what L's fate was going to be, an amazing detective, but everyone was wrong. Being the greatest detective in the world had nothing to do with it. Death did. Death wormed his way into L's life like a parasite. If Death pulled the strings to L's fate, he definitely gave orders to control his destiny too.

Any normal man would fear death and any cop learned to stomach it. Yet somehow, L knew him like he knew himself. L met Death long ago and they talked often. The witching hour was their fairytale, it was childish to them. Any hour was fair game. Death called L at any time to keep him on his toes and L made a game out of answering the phone as quickly as possible. If Death didn't want to call, he'd often visit L alone in his hotel room late into the night. The two were always close, but they became even closer with the Kira case. This all started when L was 6. He was now 22 and moving all over the world. Just as a hobby.

\---

Death never knocked, he always walked in. He was too high and mighty, but L was the same way, so he couldn't complain. L was standing at the window of his hotel suite looking over the city. It wasn't his, but he wanted it to be. He memorized every street and every line on the road. L knew which houses had garages and what warehouses were storing illegal weapons. He knew what mansion was throwing a Hollywood party every weekend and where in the city people would roll over and die in after. L made alliances with all of the major corporations in Japan that could crush an empire. He knew it all and he wanted it so bad. He wanted the city so bad he could taste it. Even on long days where his greed was so high and empowering he could taste the street lights and smog of the city in his coffee. He wanted everything to be his so he could destroy it with his bare hands. He wanted the city destroyed to perfection, just like it was in his head. Japan was a political warzone and it was his political warzone. Every ounce of it came free with access to every country and every world leader on speed dial. L saw the city as his since it was his warzone. His political warzone that he may or may not have accidentally created. He controlled everything. He was the Commander in Chief, or at least he was in his head. That's what he was taught growing up after all.

"It's a gorgeous night, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is. What's the occasion for your visit?"

"I wanted to talk."

"You talk to me daily. You're in my speed dial next to the Queen."

"You're flattering to put me next to the Queen."

"I wouldn't think so." Death walked out of the doorway and sat on the couch with his legs crossed on the table in front of him and his arms laid against the backboard. The china clattered around his feet. He made himself comfortable and gazed at the ceiling tiles that plastered the roof over their heads. For such an expensive place, the ceiling tiles were slightly cracked. L made no effort to tear his eyes away from the window.

"Tell me about your case."

"You know everything you need to know about it."

"I know more about it than you do."

"I wouldn't doubt it."

"You sure you don't want to take something else on?"

"I'm positive." L never turned his head. He never moved a muscle. He never moved from the window. Death shook his head with a disappointed click of his tongue.

"This is below you! A measly serial killer?! Come on, man! This is what you did as a child! Where's the thrill!"

"This is nothing but thrill."

"Not like it used to be. Where's World War 3? Where's the launch codes you'd steal back from governments? Where's the fake war you started with yourself because you were bored?! Where's the-"

"-sex, money, and murder on a private island with models in bikinis and cocaine like I'm James Bond? In a story. This is the real world. Besides, that's your preference. Not mine." A chuckled sigh escaped Death's lips.

"I still say stopping World War 3 was your best case yet."

"I'd have to agree with you, even if I did that at 6 years old. However, I think this case might beat that." Death perked his head up. L was still frozen at the window.

"Oh? Please do tell."

"I can just tell." L turned and looked death in the eyes. His eyes were warm and inviting, however they'd give dread to anyone who looked for too long. L knew this, but he didn't care. He'd catch Death's eyes for as long as he wanted.

"This case will be the highlight of my career."

Death smiled. A genuine smile that stretched from ear to ear. He sat up and reached for the intricate teapot and cup laying on the table. He poured the tea into a cup for L, who watched his every move with caution. Death noticed the sugar bowl and dumped all the sugar that he could fit into the cup. He rose so fluidly and elegantly and strode with an unnameable swagger. A normal person would've said he floated. That was normal. However, the heels of his shoes clicked against the floor, even though it was carpeted. The clicks made his floating look mechanical, yet beautiful to where words could not describe it. L noticed his shoes were polished and that his heels looked hard enough to crush a skull. L took the cup from Death's hands happily.

"Would you like my honest opinion?" L didn't respond. His eyes were still locked with Death's.

"This case is your fate." L's staredown with Death turned into one filled with puzzlement. L couldn't rip his eyes away, but Death did it for him. Death didn't acknowledge L's gaze, but simply turned and stared into the city that L wanted to own.

"Really? A serial killer case is my fate? Shame. I expected something bigger, like saving the world." L forced himself to look at Death's back.

"You're not getting the picture, my friend."

"How so?"

"You just aren't. There's more to this than a textbook or a profile you can take down from one of your shelves."

"Cases are textbook. Murder is textbook..." L followed Death's eyes out the window to the streets below. He was watching a car chase between a Ferrari and three cops. The Ferrari was winning. "...crime is textbook."

"Not always. I'm seeing this as a painting, or even a sculpture and you're the lonely, yet lovely artist."

"I don't see how you'd see my work as something as beautiful as art." Death smiled.

"You repeated what I just said."

"I didn't repeat it. I implied it. And you're wrong."

"I'm never wrong, Lawliet." L shuddered.

"You make it sound like this case will be my downfall." Death smiled even wider. He fogged up the glass of the window with his breath and drew a quick smiley face.

"There's always some downfall to fate somewhere. Without it, there's no good rising action or climax to your story."

"If you're so eager to share my own fate with me, why not something else? Like my destiny? You've mentioned the subject before."

"You're correct. But that's not the goal for tonight."

"What do you mean 'goal'? What is the 'goal' then?"

"That's for you to discover."

"My own destiny?"

"As I've said before," Death took the cup from L's hands and took a quick sip, and put it back in the owner's hands without him noticing. "...is for you to discover."

"Yet I don't have to find my own fate because you're able to tell me."

"Because I break the rules for you."

"You break the rules because you feel like it."

"As do you." L glanced down to his tea. Through the haze and slush, he could see the reflection of the city. He threw his head back along with his sugar and tea and swallowed the whole thing in one gulp. It would've been sweetly poisonous to anyone else. His eyes forcefully locked with Death's, who ripped his own eyes away from the window. L could only see destruction. Death could only see doom.

"The Kira Investigation Task Force shall be here soon. Your presence doesn't need to be seen." Death didn't have to say a word. He understood the importance of this upcoming meeting and had enough respect for L to honor that. Death planted a hand on L's shoulder and gave it a squeeze as to say, "we both know how this will play out." His hand fell and he turned away, shoes still clicking on the carpet as he walked. L couldn't turn to watch him leave. Death stopped in the doorway.

"By the way Lawliet, I'll see you soon." The smiley face painted on the window winked at L as to wish him luck. L was still standing in front of the window when the Task Force arrived.

\---

L was sitting in the main room of his Task Force headquarters at four in the morning. No one was awake or alive as he typed away on his keyboard. He didn't stop typing when two arms slithered onto his shoulders and across his collarbone, almost choking him.

"It's been awhile, L."

"Likewise. What can I do for you?"

"You know." L stopped typing mid sentence. He didn't move, but his eyes rolled to the side in an attempt to see Death. Death himself instinctively took a large step back as L spun around in his chair. The two locked eyes, never warm or inviting.

"It's almost time, L." L sighed. It was long and miserable.

"I expected more time."

"We don't always get what we want."

"I do." Death chuckled.

"How will it happen?"

"I can't tell you that."

"But you can tell me my fate without me ever figuring it out."

"I told you that because I needed you to know."

"But now I can't?"

"Precisely." L stood from his chair. Death took a step back.

"It's someone I know. I know it. I know it is!"

"Are you positive?"

"Positive."

"Positively positive?"

"Positively positive. It's someone I know and I'm going to be betrayed. That's my gamble."

"I accept your gamble." L took another step forward and Death took a step back, however he didn't move from his spot, just shifted his weight. L forced himself to stand straight and tall, even though his spine popped and cracked. He could suffer a little pain if it meant he was on the same level as Death. The two shook on it.

"I can't stop it. Can I?"

"Not this one, my friend. I'm afraid it will be the first case you lose."

"No. I never lose. I have my cards in place."

"Mello and Near? That will be interesting. You know what a loss is. Death is loss."

"It's not a loss, as long as those two win. Kira may be paranormal, but he's not friends with Death." Death laughed. He ripped his eyes from L and threw his head back and laughed. His laugh was loud and low and guttural and evil. It would shake a normal man to the core. L took a large step back and shrank to his normal stance. He shoved his hands in his pockets so Death couldn't see them. Death could never see weakness, especially L's. Death turned on his heel and laughed as he walked away, leaving L alone. Completely alone.

\---

L was murdered and died in Death's arms. He wasn't even formal about it. He didn't wear his best designer suit or best designer tie. He wasn't wearing gold or diamond rings and his shoes weren't polished. He wore a white shirt and a tan jacket with tennis shoes. The most causal Death had ever been in his life, and frankly, L enjoyed it. A heart attack. That was casual.

Throughout L and Death's friendship, the two turned to gambling. They'd been doing so for years, longer than either of them could remember. Death was impressed with how long L had lasted. L's gambles with him were longer than any other man's had been. He took major risks and bluffed his way through without ever folding or showing a single card to his plans, yet he managed to walk away without a scratch. Their gambles however, were L's death. No one knew how L would die except Death himself, but the possibilities were always changing and always endless. L couldn't stay in the same situation for very long. Death said that it was L's inability to stay contained to one thing or place for so long was the only reason he lived for as long as he did. L said it was because he wouldn't let himself die.

"Get in your limo tomorrow at 3:42 and be killed in a car accident with a Subaru. You can do better." L scoffed.

"That's tasteless."

"If you go to that bakery on the other side of town on July 7th at 5:39, you'll be shot in the head."

"Boring."

"If you were at the Yellowbox Warehouse right now you would be shot in the head."

"Maybe we should go and I'll show you I won't die."

"Chinatown you'd be kidnapped and have heroin injected into your bloodstream and you'd kill yourself within the next year due to an overdose. It goes on and on, but I think the last one is the most interesting outcome, don't you think? It's impressive that you haven't lost to me yet."

"I'll never lose to you. However I admit the last one is definitely interesting."

"God you're boring and righteous. Die already."

"No. I'm smart and righteous, and I will not die."

"At least not yet?"

"At least not yet."

Death and L would argue about their gambles for hours. The two preferred it over their smaller gambles of chess and cards. L died knowing about his fate, but he never managed to figure out what his destiny was. It was something that he haunted himself for.

As L died in Death's arms, he offered one last final gamble to L.

"If you had the chance to change your fate, would you?" L didn't have to verbally answer the gamble. They both knew his answer. Death laughed and it echoed through the halls of L's massive headquarters. The only problem was that L was the only one who could hear it.

\---

On November 28, 2003, Light Yagami rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes as a black notebook fell from the sky. He never noticed it's descent from the heavens, let alone gave any thought to the misfortune of whatever poor angel dropped it. Light stared at the professor and his chalkboard as he barely took in any of the information that was being said. It wasn't anything new to him. Light Yagami continued on with his life.

Light went home and he studied. He always studied hard, but always managed to keep his sleep schedule right and his appearance dashing. His father was and still is the Chief of Police. People started dropping from heart attacks and it was weird, not that no one noticed it at first. It eventually became a problem along with public knowledge thanks to L, the Greatest Detective in the World. Light's father was assigned to the case, quickly being dubbed "The Kira Case" as the world dubbed the mysterious serial killer as Kira. Light was accepted into college. He was later asked to help with the Kira case by L himself and Light obviously accepted the offer. He was only slightly disappointed that L's offer was over the phone.

Light met L on August 19th, 2004 after he gave his speech to To-Oh University. L was and still is impressed with him. They talk together. They investigate together. They play tennis together. L trusts Light enough to take him to his headquarters. They vow to catch Kira together with a sturdy handshake, and eventually they do. 

Light and L catch Kira, Misa Amane, in May. For her being so overly cautious, they were quick. Surprisingly and scarily quick. The two made an amazing team and work well together. They still do. Light graduated top of his class along with graduating early. L even made it to his graduation, even though he watched from the very back where no one could see him. Light joined the police force. L still does his detective work all over the world. Light is the Greatest Cop in the world. L is the Greatest Detective in the world. They're partners in justice and in crime.

\---

Death never knocked, he always walked in. He walks in with his black suit, polished shoes, and red tie. He just shot and killed a child predator and murderer for their crimes. There's literal blood on his hands and he doesn't seem to care or notice, or both. Death doesn't show mercy. Death never grants mercy.

Death walks up behind L. He's staring out the window of their lavish hotel suite. L knows it's his city he's above. Death says it's theirs. L hesitates, but agrees. L doesn't like to share. He doesn't like to hesitate. He and Death were the ones who brought this city to their knees, but the city was L's. It always was because he said so. He was never wrong. That's how it always was in his stories. 

"It's a gorgeous night, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is. What's the occasion-" L stopped himself. He noticed the smiley face drawn on the window pane that wasn't there before. He was still looking out the window.

"I want to talk." In L's peripherals, Death didn't look the same. He was standing in the doorway. L turned around.

"Congratulations, L. You've completed your fate."

"My fate?"

"Don't you remember?"

He doesn't. He doesn't remember a thing.

"The Kira case?"

"No. You danced with me. Long before that." L's dead eyes held puzzlement.

"We haven't danced in years."

"Or so you thought." Death sits on the couch with his legs crossed on the table and his arms laid against the back of it.

"We've been so busy. I don't understand what you mean..."

"Give it a minute. It will click soon enough."

"My fate? You've never told me my-" And it clicked. It clicked in L's brain like a shotgun blast. Hundreds of new stories and cases and memories clicking all at once.

"I died in your arms." L looked down to see Death pouring tea into a cup filled with mostly sugar.

"You did."

"What about my destiny?"

"What about it? It's yours to discover as I've told you before. With your luck it was probably written by The Brothers Grimm."

"My destiny…" L thinks it over with his thumb in his mouth. Death just sat and stared. He could see L processing every memory he ever had, every new ounce of information. He knew L had every word he needed, he just needed to build the sentences and paragraphs to create his own story. Death would paint the cover himself when he got the chance.

"...was to befriend you."

"Death itself."

"Why?" 

"It's all you've ever known. Death...murder...evilness...it suits you, Lawliet."

"As it does you." 

"Unimportant. Besides, when's the last time you had a friend?" The realization made L's eyes go wide. Death smiled.

L turned his gaze back to the window and overlooked the city. His city. Death's city. Arguably their city. Death stood up and joined L at the window, his heels clicking against the carpet as they always did. Death saw his smiley face on the window and drew another one with the blood on his hands next to it. Death laid his blood smeared hand on L's shoulder.

The two admired what they made over the years. They built skyscrapers just to knock them down and raised armies to see them get slaughtered. It was partially the intention, but not entirely. The main reason was entertainment. To create a story. To make their own entertainment. Together they brought down corruption through their corrupt ways and brought justice through their righteous ways. It was the story L had always wanted to write, and Death gave him the tools and motivation to do so. He hoped that eventually L would read the story to him. The story of Kira.

L turned and locked eyes with his best friend, Death, or Kira, as what he was known as in a different lifetime.


End file.
